CV Preparation

The main objective of the Curriculum Vitae is to motivate the employer to have an interview with the candidate. In order to help you achieve this goal, in the next few lines, we provide you with some basic principles that govern the preparation of a CV.

Structure

The Curriculum Vitae should be structured in a way that it:

• Highlights the key characteristics of the candidate at a first glance.
• Perfectly presents his/her academic and professional background (usually in chronological order, starting from the
  latest ones).
• Mentions specific duties and responsibilities (they need to be as clear and quantified as possible).

Content

• Personal data: Include full name, contact information, date of birth, nationality and marital
  status
• Professional Profile (short self-presentation): Write a short description (2 – 4 lines) outlining
  who you are and what your professional skills and personal goals are
• Professional experience: Mention in reverse chronological order:
  • Hire and Leave dates
  • Job titles and responsibilities
  • Company names

Remember to include all the things you achieved while in each position.

• Education: Include information on the following, again in reverse chronological order:
  • The dates diplomas or certifications were acquired
  • The names of the academic institutions you attended
  • The diplomas or certifications you received

Tips

1. In case you are in the beginning of your career, place education before professional experience, while you can
   also mention more details, like thesis’s title, etc.
2. The curriculum vitae must not be longer than two pages. If you want to present publications, research work etc, it
   is better to use an appendix.
3. Write short and specific texts, structured in a way that the most important information is given in the first
   page.
4. Be smart, but not excessive, regarding text formatting (with bold letters and bullets), in order to capture the
   reader’s attention on the main points.
5. Where possible, use professional terminology that shows familiarity with the industry and avoid negative
   expressions.
6. Use first singular person on all text.

Once prepared, show your Curriculum Vitae to someone you trust and ask for their suggestions for improvements.